Cracker dispenser



June 15, 1937. E. w. HICKS CRACKER DISPENSER Filed Sept. 16, 1935 ESQ am Mama. 4 a

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CRACKER DISPENSER,

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to dispensing apparatus of 'the stacked article type and is particularly designed for dispensing crackers or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which is simple in construction and operation and which may be easily cleaned without the necessity for disassembling the parts of the same.

Other and further objects will become apparent from a reading of the following specification, forming part of this application and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which Figure l is a front elevational view, partly broken away to disclose the interior mechanisms,

Figure 2 is a like plan view,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3--3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of two of the cooperating parts of the invention, and

Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, are enlarged fragmentary views of details of the invention.

Referring more. particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a-dispensing apparatus having a base I0, side walls II, a back wall I2 0 and a front wall l3. A pair of cylinders 14 are I mounted in upright positions in the side walls and bear projections at their lower ends as indicated at l5 for insertion into openings in the base ID as shown clearly in Fig. 1. The upper end of each cylinder is provided with a notch iii in which a downwardly curved part of the side wall is adapted to engage and thereby hold the same in position as shown at H.

Extending from a point adjacent the top to a point adjacent the bottom of each of the cylinders are pairs of slots I8, so aligned as to permit of the mounting of a transverse rod l9 therethrough. The rod is provided with suitable handles 20 at either end. Near and communicating with the lower end of each slot I8 is a locking notch 2|.

Within each of the cylinders is slidably mounted a spring socket 22 adapted to be urged upwardly against the rod l9 by means of a spring 23 positioned in each cylinder between the socket and the bottom of the cylinder. A follower 24 is mounted upon the rod between the cylinders.

In downwardly tapered notches 25 positioned in blocks 26 at the rear ends of the side walls is frictionally mounted a plate 21 having a rearwardly extending looped portion 28 at its upper end and having affixed a forwardly extending lip 29 adjacent its top.

The top end of the front wall I3 is provided with a forwardly extending portion 30. A cover 3| provided with an upwardly and rearwardly extending curved hanger 32 has a lowered forwardly extending front portion 33 adapted to rest upon the portion 30 and is provided with a transparent portion 34. A knob 33-a enables the cover 3| to be lifted.

In operation, the plate 21 and cover 3| are removed and crackers 35, or the like, are placed upon the follower 24, after the same has been lowered by pressing downwardly upon the handles 20, thereby bringing the rod l9 into engagement with the locking notches 2|. The plate 21 and cover 3! are then replaced. Thereupon the rod is released and the springs 23 will urge the crackers upwardly until the topmost abuts against the lip 29. When the plate 21 is in position the stop 29 is so spaced vertically from the lip portion 30 that when the cover 3| is raised by the knob 33-a, a cracker may be slid out, the mechanism aforementioned thereupon forcing another into topmost position.

While but one form of the invention has been shown in this application, it will be apparent that various minor modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A cracker dispensing cabinet comprising a base having front, back and side walls secured to the said base and extending therefrom, the said side walls having downwardly-curved parts extending from their upper edges, the base having openings adjacent the side walls, a cylinder being located in a vertically extending slot in each of the said side walls, the said cylinders provided with projections on their lower ends receivable in the said openings in the base, the upper end of each cylinder having a notch engaged by said downwardly-curved parts of the side walls for holding the said cylinders in position, slots in each of the said cylinders, a rod transversely disposed in said slots, a spring means in each of said cylinders, a follower spaced in the said cabinet and the said follower being secured to the said transverse rod, stop means attached to the upper end of the said cabinet for holding the crackers upon the follower under tension of the said spring means. I

2. A cracker dispensing cabinet comprising a base and having front, back and side walls secured to the said base and extending therefrom. the said side walls having downwardly-curved parts extending from their upper edges, the base having openings adjacent the side walls, a cylinder being located in a vertically extending slot in each of the said side walls, the said cylinders provided with projections on their lower ends receivable in the said openings in the base, the upper end of each cylinder having a notch engaged by said downwardly-curved parts of the said side walls for holding the said cylinders in position, slots in each'of the said cylinders, a rod transversely disposed in said slots, spring means in each of the said cylinders, a follower spaced in the said cabinet, and the said follower being sehaving a similar outwardly-extending lip portion adapted to lie on the lip portion of the front wall, said stop means disposed above the two lip portions so that when the cover is raised a cracker can be slid outwardly from beneath said stop means onto said lip portion of the front wall.

ELLIS W. HICKS. 

